Let’s kick off the new year by reviewing what the Bend City Council covered at last month’s meetings. Issues on duplex/triplex development, plastic bags, extending downtown parking district areas, septic-to-sewer conversion, Mirror Pond dredging, Crow’s Feet Commons noise, and winding down the year. And more.

• Bend City Council meeting notes, 12-05-18 (MS Word doc)
• Bend City Council meeting notes, 12-19-18 (MS Word doc)

The next meeting is tomorrow, Wednesday, January 2. And with Councilor Sally Russell becoming Bend’s new mayor, there is a vacancy on the Council to be filled. Here’s the release info about that:

The Bend City Council plans to declare a vacancy on the Council on Jan, 2, 2019, when Sally Russell becomes Mayor. Russell will vacate the remaining two years of Council Position 3, with a term expiration of December 2020.

The Bend Charter requires that a vacancy on the Council be filled within 30 days of declaring the vacancy by a Council appointment. Councilors agreed to an application process at their meeting on Dec. 5, 2018, to begin the appointment process. In consideration of the timeline, Council will begin accepting applications on Dec. 6, 2018. The Council will review applications and then conduct interviews.

Applicants can complete an online application and submit a letter of interest which may address such areas as reasons for wanting to serve on the Council, working as a part of a team and representing various areas of the community. A description of the application process and application will be available on the Council vacancy tab on the City Council webpage: www.bendoregon.gov/citycouncil.

Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Council will review the applications then can select candidates for interviews. The Council anticipates conducting interviews the week of January 14, and expects to make an appointment at the regular Council meeting on Wednesday, January 16.

The Council aims to have the appointment made prior to the start of its goal-setting process, which takes place in early February. Dates, times and locations for all meetings associated with this process will be available on the City Calendar once scheduled.